Financial Independence - Overview

When I began college 3 ½ years ago, I was put into the
interesting situation of being on my own for the first time in a big city where
I knew nobody. I had made an agreement with my mother that if I went to NYU, she
would not have to financially support me anymore. When school began that August,
I had paid for half of the tuition, dorm, and meal plan charges that were due
that semester (through my summer work, scholarships and loans). My meal plan
consisted of 5 meals a week. I had no job and I had $30. Let me tell you, when
you’re put in a situation like this, you learn to be creative! I didn’t want the
people around me to know my circumstances because I didn’t think they would
understand. Sometimes I’d casually mention that I was paying for school, but for
the most part people didn’t really grasp the concept. I learned how to eat
cheap. My dorm had a kitchen, so Ramen Noodles were the way to go. Our dining
halls were “all-you-can-eat”, so I stocked up on cereal every time I ate there.
I used a $25 Barnes & Noble gift certificate to buy $1.00 bagels from the
Starbucks dining area. And so on. Getting to where I am now (despite our cash
flow issues) from where I was then has (in my opinion) been the greatest
achievement of my life. It has been an adventure with many ups and downs, but I
have learned many lessons along the way. It is a goal of mine to share my
experiences and help others who are in similar situations. I can think of a
thousand things I wish I had known when I was starting out on my own! While I
will continue writing on financial independence and creative ways to finance
your education in my online journal, I urge you to contact me directly if you
have questions!